


Merry Christmas Baby

by Maryana_Snape



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21908227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maryana_Snape/pseuds/Maryana_Snape
Summary: In their first Christmas in Palawan, Raquel and Sergio got everything they never knew they wished for.Pure holiday fluff to warm our hearts.
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 31
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I bring you a Christmas special for my favorite spanish pairing!  
> Be advised for maybe-excessive flufiness and lameness.  
> English is not my mother language and I'm kinda rusty, so please be gentle :)  
> I hope you enjoy my story!

Raquel entered Paula's bedroom to find the girl avidly reading her new book under her pink cover duvet. "Paula, _cariño_ , enough reading, time to sleep"

"Mama, but it's Christmas break!" The girl pouted, closing her book. "I can sleep in tomorrow."

"We're going to check that Christmas market down the village, remember? The one with the ice skating?" Ice skating in Palawan was very confusing, with the sun beaming and the 30ºC in the shadow, but apparently, it was required to a complete Christmas experience wherever you were.

The shine in Paula’s eyes told Raquel she had won the fight with this simple card. The girl appeared to think for an instant, then replied with a mischievous smile “I can’t wait to see Sergio ice skating!”

Raquel burst out laughing. “Oh aren’t you a little devil?” She said as she dove into the bed, tickling the girl until she begged for mercy. Raquel snuggled behind her in the small bed and kissed the top of her head. “Are you excited for this Christmas?” She asked, and much to her relief, Paula nodded excitedly and flashed her a big smile. Raquel was worried: this was the first Christmas they would spend in Palawan, and despite the fact that everyone went over the moon to make everything as smooth as possibly for Paula, Raquel still worried about this type of occasions and the feelings that might surface in the girl. She was just a child after all.

“Do you think Santa Claus will bring you what you asked for?”

“Mama.” Paula gave her mother a narrow look. “I’m not a baby. I know there’s no Santa Claus.”

Raquel was caught by surprise. Paula was until very recently emerged in the unicorns, princesses’ and magic universe, but maybe now it was time to accept that her little girl was growing and rapidly approaching puberty. “I- But-but _cariño_ , who brings the gifts then?”

“I know it’s you and papa Sergio” The girl said matter-of-factly. “And back in Spain it was probably you and Papa Alberto.” Raquel had to restrain herself from shuddering every time that name was mentioned, even now, across the world from a different reality than she had lived a long time ago. “Or you and _abuela_.”

Raquel observed her daughter, stating her conclusions so calmly, and felt a mix of pride and sadness. “ _Lo siento_ , Paula” She said softly, putting a lock of hair behind her ear. “That’s a lie most parents tell their kids. We just want you to believe in magic for as long you can. There’s very little magic in the grown-up world.”

“There’s love.” Paula said, looking up to her mother, who felt her heart was swelling up three sizes. “That can count as magic, right?”

“Yes, _mi amor_ , that’s the most important magic of them all.” She nuzzled her nose on Paula’s. They kept cuddled for a while, until the girl broke the silence.

“Mama?”

“Hum?”

“Do you think Papa Alberto is spending Christmas alone?” Raquel froze. There it was, Alberto again, returning to haunt her life. But she had to be prepared for this, he was Paula’s father after all, and even if the girl couldn’t see him anymore she wouldn’t expect her to forget him completely. She took a deep breath and tried to come up with a decent answer that didn’t involve her hopes that Alberto would spend Christmas rotting in a lonely cell.

“No, _cariño_ , I’m sure he’ll be spending it with _Tia_ Marta and _Tia_ Cecília, in _Abuela_ Ana’s house.” She said calmly, and the girl seemed satisfied with the answer. A soft knock on the door made their heads turn together, and they saw Sergio hesitantly opening the door. “Someone is trying to delay her bedtime hours.” Raquel said with a smirk, and he smiled, entering the room.

“I heard Santa Claus does not bring good gifts to girls who do that.” He said, and Raquel patted the bed next to her for him to sit.

“You can cut it, papa Sergio.” Paula said, exasperated. “I’ve told Mama I know the truth.”

Sergio was even more surprised than Raquel. “Paulita, _pero_ -“ He pushed his glasses up his nose as he always did when he was nervous. Mother and daughter shared a smile. “What-what if only Santa Claus knows what you want?”

Raquel supressed a laugh as Paula rose her eyebrows. “Oh I think I’ve made it perfectly clear I wanted a Polaroid.” She gave them a playful look, and then added. “It was the only thing I asked for.” Sergio, who rested his hand on Raquel’s back, gave her a gentle squeeze.

But obviously it wasn’t the only thing she was getting because Sergio always wanted to do everything possible to please Paula, leaving Raquel with the hard task of refraining him. She refused to have a spoiled brat as daughter. But at least the girl only had asked for one present, which showed they were on the right track.

“Well, it’s time to sleep, young lady.” Raquel said, and Sergio got up and held up a hand for her to take. He leaned to kiss Paula goodnight.

“You know what I really wanted for Christmas?” The girl said sleepily, as Raquel gave her a kiss too.

“What, _mi amor_?” Her mother asked, giving Sergio a playful look, knowing he was probably going crazy over the fact that there was something Paula wanted that he hadn’t bought.

“A baby…” Paula said, drowsily, and let out a sigh that indicated that she was already sleeping, leaving the two adults next to her in absolute shock.

Raquel felt her heart beating at her ears as Sergio stiffened by her side. Paula had never mentioned a baby, a desire to have a brother or sister, not even when she was younger and her parents’ marriage was still normal, not even when all her school friends had come to school sharing the family news.

She couldn’t make herself look at Sergio, who still hadn’t said a word. Should she expect him to laugh it off, considering it a sleepy child’s careless wishes? Should she expect a heartfelt, deep conversation about the subject they had never approached?

When long moments had passed and silence was crushing her, she finally gathered the forces to face him, only to find staring at a sleeping Paula. After a few moments his eyes met hers, and his gaze was impenetrable. “Let’s get to bed, shall we?” He said softly, kissing her in the cheek and exiting the room, leaving behind Raquel, a sinking feeling in her gut.

The thing was… _She was pretty sure she already had a baby growing inside her._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your Kudos and comments! They keep me rolling :)

The next morning, they woke up Paula’s excited pleads from one side of the bed to the other. “Sergio, you have to tell Mama it’s time to wake up se we can go to the market.”

“Raquel, there’s a _niña_ here wanting to talk to you.” He said sleepily, pulling a giggling Paula into bed with them.

“Mamaaaaaa” she said, covering her mother’s face with kisses. Raquel lazily opened her eyes. “Sergio must be wondering why he had to bring the loudest _chica_ from Spain to his silent paradise.”

“I have no regrets.” He said, as he got up and kissed the top of Paula’s head. “I’ll prepare breakfast for the Murillo girls.” He kissed Raquel too and headed out to the kitchen.

“Can we have pancakes, please? Nooo, wait, eggs! Mama, which do you prefer?” The girl asked her mother, ignoring the fact that all that talk was putting her on the verge of sickness.

“You can choose, baby, I don’t mind.”

“Ok, I’ll go tell Sergio.” The girl said as she hooped off the bed and trotted to the kitchen, leaving Raquel with a moment to collect her thoughts.

After they left Paula’s room in the night, she had joined him in bed and they had snuggled together, but they hadn’t mentioned what the girl had said.

Maybe Sergio did not want a baby. The truth is that they never talked about it. She knew family was a difficult subject for him, and they talked about his parents and his brother sometimes, but they never talked about anything more. She knew he loved Paula, it had been beautiful to watch their relationship grow, with Sergio so worried and unsure around the girl in the first few weeks, only to have her completely surround to him and vice versa. And when she had asked if she could _sometimes_ call him “papa Sergio”, Raquel believed her whole world was complete.

They didn’t use any kind of contraception, that was a fact, but she was over 40, so the chances of her getting pregnant were very reduced. And yet…

She had been feeling a little under the weather for a couple of weeks, but she always found other excuses: it was the fried rice from that food stall, it was some kind of flu Paula brought from school… But then there was the crying… She had cried her eyes out at Paula’s school play. She had started crying out of nowhere when Sergio brought home mangoes because he thought she might like them.

She hadn’t taken a test yet, but she was pretty sure she was pregnant. She felt different and she had been pregnant before, so she recognized some of the symptoms. She was pretty sure.

What would she do now?

* * *

Sergio went to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast. He didn’t have much sleep that night. He kept playing Paula’s sleepy request in his head.

 _A baby_.

It was something that never in his meticulously planned life he had even considered. His family genetic inheritance always played a role in scaring away that possibility, but he never had to actually worry about it, considering he had no girlfriend or anyone important in his life. He had no interest in relationships, marriages, babies and whatever came with that.

But then Raquel showed up. And her arrival and her love swiped him off his feet. He had put his life’s dream and work in jeopardy because of her. But she had proven to be worthy of all that. Worthy of his love and everything he could have to sacrifice to be with her. Because she completed him. She was everything he never knew he needed, and everything he built with her was something new he didn’t know he wished.

And now… Paula had planted that thought in his head, and that was something he never knew he wanted too. A baby. A baby with Raquel.

He loved Paula, and every day he found new ways and reasons for loving that sweet child that had entered his life through her mother. He loved her like a daughter, and she loved him like a father.

But then he pictured a baby. His baby with Raquel. He pictured Raquel pregnant, her bump, himself caressing her skin as they talked to their unborn child. He pictured her holding their baby first time. The first time they took it to the beach, both of their children playing happily in the sand. The four of them walking along the beach, holding hands.

And now, it was like there was no turning back. He felt heat rising in his chest as he pictured all this. He felt himself being filled with such a joyful hope like he had never experienced before.

But then, reality stroke in. Who said Raquel wanted a baby? More important, who said she wanted to have a baby _with him_? Of course she loved him, and they were building a life together and raising her daughter together. But who knew if having a blood connection to a worldwide wanted criminal was the line she was not interested on crossing?

The truth was that she never brought it up either. She already had a daughter, so he comprehended she would show no interest in having more children.

Maybe this was all for the best. Maybe they weren’t supposed to think about having children. Maybe he had found enough reasons why they shouldn’t.

But Paula’s sleepy voice kept replaying in his head. _You know what I really wanted for Christmas?_

* * *

They left for the market by lunch time, Paula holding both adults’ hands and happily chatting about how awesome it would be to go ice skating.

“We never went back in Spain. First I was too little, then Mama was always working.” She said, and Raquel felt a stab of guilt. “But how do they keep the ice with this heat?”

“Well, it is manufactured ice, and they maintain it cold with using cooling machines.” Sergio explained. “Actually, it is a very interesting mechanism, using the-“

“Uh-oh, Paula, he’ll get into physical-chemical explanations, let’s run!” Raquel mocked, faking a desperate look, and Paula giggled. Sergio glared at them, a playful look on his eyes.

They arrived at the market, so different from the Christmas markets back in Europe. They had promised Paula ice skating would be their first stop, but the girl spotted a little shop with wooden toys and rushed to check it.

“Do you want to grab something to eat before we get there?” Sergio asked, and Raquel shook her head. She had refused breakfast, and that had raised questions from both Sergio and Paula. “Maybe you’re coming down with something, _cariño_.” He said, eyeing her worriedly.

“Maybe…” She said softly, looking away from him to keep an eye on Paula.

The girl returned and started dragging them by their hands. “Let’s go, let’s goooo.”

They approached the ice rink and watched some of the people already skating. You could spot two or three people who obviously knew what they were doing on top of their blades, but most of them were just people failing miserably, hanging from the sides of the rink, or slipping and falling with quite the display. Paula and Sergio laughed at these poor people, completely aware they would be the next ones, but Raquel was quiet, suddenly struck by the realization that she couldn’t risk falling and doing any kind of damage to the baby.

“I don’t think I can go in.” She said suddenly, and Paula looked at her in surprise.

“Whyyyy, Mama, you said you would!”

“I know, baby, but I still don’t feel so great.”

Sergio eyed her in a mix of suspicion and worry. “Is there something I can do? Do you want to go home?”

“No, I’ll just sit this one out and I’m sure I’ll be fine. But you guys go, Paula is so looking forward to it.” The girl looked at her mother with sad eyes. “ _Cariño_ , from here I’ll be able to take a loooot of pictures, especially when Sergio lands on his butt. And you will have his undivided attention to teach you instead of having to teach us both.” She ruffled her daughter’s hair and added. “Gooo! Just try not to break anything!” Paula sprinted into the line of people waiting to put on their ice skates.

Sergio kissed her cheek. “Are you sure you’ll be ok?”

“Yes, don’t worry. Just go or she’ll get in by herself!” She smiled as he walked quickly to keep up with Paula. “Be careful!”

She chose a good spot in the shadow to have the better view to them as possible, and waved as Paula and Sergio hesitantly entered the rink. Not that she was surprised, but Sergio was indeed a medium skater, which made sense considering his athletic form. Paula in the other hand looked determined to throw both of them on the floor as soon as possible, but she trusted Sergio to keep her daughter from any concussions or broken limbs.

She loved observing them together, and especially now, considering the situation that would soon be unfolded: Sergio was sweet and patient with Paula, softly explaining everything, whether it was ice skating or math homework. And Paula attentively listened and smiled broadly at his nervous yet dedicated attempts to teach her. Raquel knew that sometimes she probably missed a father figure in her life, and Sergio was certainly proving himself worthy of the task.

Her heart clenched as Paula took quite the fall, causing several other skaters to gasp and rush to help her, but it was Sergio who rushed in quicker to lift her up, checking all her body for lesions, but the girl shook her head and quickly returned her stepdad’s questions with a smile. He got up and his gaze searched around for Raquel, giving her a nervous thumbs-up, meaning everything was OK with the girl. She felt her insides melting a little, and emotions rushed over as a few tears gathered up in her eyes: Sergio would be a great father. She just hoped he would want to.

She couldn’t keep that secret in for much longer. She decided she would tell him tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my last chapter!  
> Again, please forgive me any mistake  
> Hope you enjoy :)

Sergio closed the book and leaned back on the couch, pressing his hands to his face.

There was something going on, he could feel it. He wasn’t by far a good people’s reader, but he had managed to read his girlfriend quite nicely by now. And Raquel was somehow off. She was acting normal in general but… He had seen her eyes glistening several times in the last couple days, with no apparent reason. He had caught her staring into void for several minutes. She had given him such a strong look when they were being intimate that he felt her staring into his soul. Maybe she was just emotional over Christmas, maybe the holiday was reminding her of how much her life had changed. Whatever it was happening, Sergio needed to get it right with her. That’s how they were. Even if it meant a hard truth, they were true with each other.

Raquel had retreated herself to the bedroom, about ten minutes ago, and he could see the lights in their room still on. He braced himself and got up from the couch, turning off the Christmas tree lights before heading to the bedroom.

She was lying awake in bed, half covered by the sheet, only in a black tank top and panties, her golden brown hair sprawled across the pillow. Sergio marvelled at the sight. He removed his pants, and slid into bed next to her, spooning her. She sighed in contentment and clung onto his arm around her waist. They stayed like that for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of being in each other’s arms. After a while he noticed Raquel taking a deep breath.

“Sergio?”

“ _Sì, cariño_?” He said calmly, but deep down he was preparing for the worst. All those awful possibilities that haunted his worst dreams came to surface. What if she wanted to leave? What if she didn’t love him anymore?

Raquel turned onto her back, and their eyes met. She opened her mouth to speak and he held his breath. She noticed his nervousness and stroke his cheek lightly, her eyes never leaving his. She took another deep breath before whispering: “I’m pregnant.”

He felt his world stopping.

“ _De verdàd_?” He asked in a whisper, and she nodded, not sure how to read his expression. “Oh Raquel…!” He crashed his lips on hers, hoping he could transmit all his emotions through that kiss.

Raquel broke the kiss breathlessly, a hesitant smile occupying her lips. “Are you happy?”

“Happy? _Mi amor_ , I don’t think I ever felt this happy.” He kissed her again, and she put her arms around his neck. He broke the kiss to ask her hesitantly. “Do you want it?”

“More than anything. It’s yours. It’s ours.” She said softly, as he rested his forehead on hers. “I was worried _you_ wouldn’t want it.”

“It’s everything I can think of since Paula’s sleepy wish.” They both chuckled as tears swam in their eyes. “Since when do you know?”

“I’ve been suspicious for a couple of weeks now, but I bought a test and did it after we got home from the market. I couldn’t keep it in much longer.”

He kissed her forehead and pressed a hand to his eyes. “I just didn’t believe you would want to have a baby with me.” He looked at her and she felt emotion overcome her once more: his eyes were full of hope, happiness and love.

“More than anything.” She whispered through tears. “I could never imagine I’d be this happy again, Sergio. But you made everything go right. You _make_ everything go right. And for that I love you with all my heart.”

For the next few days, they were in their own little bubble of happiness. They couldn’t stop smiling, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Even Paula and Marivì had mentioned it, but Raquel and Sergio could only laugh it off. “It’s just Christmas spirit.” She had said lightly, laughing at her mother and her daughter’s suspicious face.

They prepared Christmas Eve dinner submerged in this utter happiness, surely leaving the poor nurse a bit scandalized.

Sergio just couldn’t stop hugging Raquel, kissing her. She was the woman who had saved his soul, who had made him feel alive, who had showed how incredible it was to share a life with someone, and who now would give him the greatest gift of all.

They had a lovely dinner, and Raquel felt herself beaming: Sergio looked lighter than he had ever seen him, Paula was super excited with Christmas, natural as it was for a child, and Marivì was having a particular good week. Right now, grandmother and granddaughter discussed happily gifts from previous years. Sergio caught Raquel observing the scene, a mix of emotion and happiness in her eyes. He put a hand in her leg, and she looked at him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. They shared a loving look, before Paula interrupted them excitedly. “Can we please open the gifts now? Please?”

Sergio stroked her hand again in reassurance before getting up.

“I’ll just put some of this food in the fridge. Paulita, will you help me? So we can get to the presents faster.” The girl rapidly grabbed a pan from the table and hurried herself to the kitchen, while Sergio winked at Raquel and Marivì before grabbing two dishes and following Paula into the kitchen.

As Raquel dreamily watched him, Marivì went around the table and took a seat next to her daughter, putting an arm around her shoulders. “ _Mi hija_ , what’s going on?”

Raquel looked at her mother in surprise. “What do you mean, Mama?”

“What I mean is the way you and Sergio look like two teenagers in love.” The older Murillo said knowingly, and Raquel blushed. “Is there something to know?”

Before she could answer, Paula emerged from the kitchen, followed by Sergio. “Mama, _abuela_ , let’s go to the living room!” She managed to drag her grandmother, but the other two adults stayed behind. Raquel got up and put her arms around Sergio’s neck. “Are you ready?”

“With you by my side, I could face a battlefront.” He said, closing the distance between their mouths to kiss her sweetly. “I can’t wait to see Paula’s reaction.”

“Me too. And my mother already figured something was up. So let’s get to the presents before Paula opens everything, shall we?

Surprisingly Paula had waited patiently by the tree, although her face showed a big relief when the couple finally decided to join them in the living room.

She excitedly chose the gifts from under the Christmas tree and handed it according to the tags, then settled on the floor opening her own gifts.

They exchanged thanks and compliments as everyone opened their gifts: Paula was over the moon that she had received not only a pink Polaroid but also a set of pink speakers and headphones and a bracelet. Marivì was delighted with the big portrait of her, Raquel and Paula that Sergio had sent to print, while he was surprised that Raquel had managed to find a limited edition of a series of books he loved. He offered her a beautiful ring and a thin necklace with a family charm she almost teared up over.

Finally, after a nod of encouragement from Raquel, Sergio got up to grab a small box wrapped in a silver ribbon and handed it to Paula. “One last gift from me and your mother.” He said, nervously, and took a seat next to Raquel again. He wrapped an arm around her as Paula opened the box, her eyebrows raised in suspicion.

“Oh, it’s a polaroid picture.” She said, holding the photo up to examine it.

It was not a polaroid picture. It was a picture Sergio and Raquel had obtained the day before, as they left the house for a couple of hours. He had held her hand nervously as they waited to be called, and as tears slid down the cheeks of them both when they first saw it on the screen. He had kissed her with so much love and passion that he hadn’t bothered to feel ashamed by the third person in the room, who actually just smiled in awe. He had held her hand the entire way home, wanting to be connected to her forever, so he could always feel this happy.

It was an ultrasound.

Paula rotated the picture in her hands. “But I can’t quite figure it out, it’s kind of smudgy, it’s-“ She stopped abruptly and rotated the picture 180º. “AHHHHHHHHH! OH MY GOD!” Her scream startled Marivì and Sergio, while Raquel displayed a big mischievous smile. “Mama!!!! Is this- Oh my god, papa…?! You’re having a baby?” Raquel could only nod, tears of happiness sliding down her cheeks, as Sergio was apparently still dizzy from the screams. “SIIIIIII!” She screamed as she jumped up, throwing her arms around Raquel and Sergio’s neck. “I’m so happy! This is so great! I’m so happy!” She kept repeating, kissing her mother and her stepdad all over their faces.

“My my, there was something to know after all.” Marivi said, smiling openly at the couple. “Congratulations, _cariño_ , Sergio!” She said, hugging them both.

Paula grabbed her grandmother's hands. “Abuela, you’re not getting, this is all I ever wanted!” She said, and let go of her grandmother to jump around the table, chanting very loudly _I’m going to be a big sister!_

Surrounded by these chants, and the sound of Marivi’s laughing at her granddaughter, Raquel and Sergio hugged each other. He put some space between them after a few moments to look her in the eyes and say, his voice tightened with emotion, just before he kissed her again: “This is all I ever wanted too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the end! I wanna thank everyone who read, gave kudos and commented, it makes me really happy!  
> I know this is an idea that could be continued, but this one is just a small Christmas special. I might return with other Serquel ideas  
> Merry Christmas everyone!


End file.
